Freddy Sanchez

Dejan Kovacevic makes the case. The Stats Geek had a good article on this a few weeks back.

There should not be any debate. Activate Joe Randa, use him as a utility player and pinch-hitter, trade him if someone comes calling. I'm glad to have Randa and Burnitz on the team, provided they are kept in their proper place--which is, right now, backing up better-performing, younger players.

...Since the All-Star Break last year, Sanchez has 397 at-bats, 126 hits, 26 doubles, 3 triples, and 8 home runs. He has struck out 31 times and walked 22 (and this year, 8 walks and 8 strikeouts). The numbers come out to something like .317 / .356 / .455 - an 815 OPS. That's more or less what most people expect from Sean Casey, and it's better than what we could reasonably expect from Joe Randa.

Now, we used to play games like this with Rob Mackowiak. He had 400 AB stretches in which he posted a 900 OPS. So I'm not thoroughly convinced Sanchez is the Real Deal. Not yet.

But flexibility and creativity should be in Jim Tracy's toolbox, and this is a painfully obvious case where they should be used. Start Sanchez, sub in Randa with pinch-hitter switcheroos. Let Randa push Sanchez. If Sanchez falters, start Randa. If Randa hits real well, keep starting him. Sub in Sanchez with pinch-hitter switcheroos. Let Sanchez force himself back in the lineup.

If Sanchez is the real deal, he will hold the job. If he's just another Rob Mackowiak, he won't hold the job.

The Pirates know that Randa is not the third baseman for 2007. There's a chance Sanchez is. To pursue that chance is folly.

And we should laugh down and ridicule any talk about "We want to win some games right now." We've tried that formula, with these players, in this season, already. And it's been a complete failure.